TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF DIGITAL MEDIA USE

IN THE K-6 CLASSROOM

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty

of

California State University, Stanislaus

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

of Master of Arts in Education

By

James P. Arnold

November 2014

CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL

TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF DIGITAL MEDIA USE

IN THE K-6 CLASSROOM

by

James P. Arnold

Dr. Susan M. Neufeld

Professor of Advanced Studies in Education

Dr. Christopher J. Roe

Associate Professor of Teacher Education

Date

Date

Signed Certification of Approval Page is

on file with the University Library

© 2014

James P. Arnold

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

iv

DEDICATION

I would like to dedicate this Thesis to my wonderfully supportive family.

First and foremost, to my beautiful wife Robyn. You have stood by me for numerous

years and allowed me to pursue my educational goals even though we lead crazy

lives. Your support and loyalty to me is unsurpassed and I love you deeply for the all

the help you have given during this process. To my 6 children: Ali, David, Amelia,

Elijah, Malachi, and Victoria. Ali, you have been such a blessing to our family and I

truly love you as my own daughter. I look forward to the opportunities that God has

in store for you and remember, no matter how long it takes, it’s worth the grind to

finish up school. David, since the first day I met you at McDonalds your endless

smile and overall love for life has truly made me love you as my son. Amelia, you

are my precious little peanut and no matter where life takes you, you will always be

loved deeply as you have truly become my daughter. Elijah, you are more like me

than you could ever really know. We both have a way of answering questions in a

very literal way and we both thrive at doing things in non-conventional ways. Never

lose that son. It makes us who we are and the world needs people like us to think

outside of the box. I love you and I look forward to the great things you will

accomplish in life. Malachi, while we have added numerous children since you came

into our lives back in 2009, you will always be our first child. I love your out-going

personality and your desire to sing about everything, everywhere. God has blessed

you with a kind heart and a loving sole. I pray that you find your passion in life that

v

you can utilize both those skills to glorify the Kingdom for all your days. Victoria,

you are and always will be my little princess. You have such energy and an appetite

to humor people that it would not surprise me one bit if you grew up to star on

Saturday Night Live or even had your own late night show. No matter how life turns

out, never lose that desire to make others smile as you will one day become God’s

greatest gift to one very lucky young man. Finally, while you all may not have been

here when I began this educational journey, you are all here with me at the finish line.

Words truly cannot express my gratitude to you all, or even begin to define the love I

have for our family, so I will end by simply saying, Thank You!

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I’d like to acknowledge Dr. Susan Neufeld as the number one greatest chair

that a student could ever have during the Thesis process. Dr. Neufeld stood by me

and supported my educational goals a lot longer than most professors, or even most

families, would have. She stuck with me through numerous long-term National

Guard engagements, through the adoption process of 4 of my children, and even

though a mid-thesis career change. Her unwavering optimism and overall support

made the completion of this Thesis possible. Thank you Dr. Neufeld and I truly

know that God will continue to bless you and your work on the ABC Project.

vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

Dedication ............................................................................................................... iv

Acknowledgements ................................................................................................. v

List of Figures ......................................................................................................... ix

Abstract ................................................................................................................... x

CHAPTER

I. Introduction ........................................................................................... 1

Statement of the Problem .......................................................... 3

Significance of the Problem ...................................................... 4

Research Questions ................................................................... 4

Terms and Definitions............................................................... 4

Summary ................................................................................... 5

II. Review of the Literature ....................................................................... 7

Background and Definitions ..................................................... 7

Rationale for Digitization of Education .................................... 8

Manifestations of Digitization in the Context of Classrooms ... 10

Student Readiness to Digital Technology in Learning ............. 14

Myths about the Drawbacks of Digital Technology in Education 15

Summary ................................................................................... 17

III. Methodology ......................................................................................... 19

Site Selection ............................................................................ 19

Methods..................................................................................... 20

IV. Results ................................................................................................... 22

Presentation ............................................................................... 22

Demographics ........................................................................... 22

Personal Technology Use ......................................................... 24

Classroom Technology Use ...................................................... 26

Comfort Levels ......................................................................... 27

Summary ................................................................................... 29

viii

V. Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations ................................... 30

Summary ................................................................................... 30

Conclusions ............................................................................... 30

Recommendation of Further Research ...................................... 31

References ............................................................................................................... 34

Appendices

A. Cover Letter to Survey Participants ............................................................ 38

B. Teachers Perspective on Digital Technologies Survey ............................... 39

ix

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE PAGE

1. Highest Level of Education Achieved .............................................................. 23

2. Years of Teaching Experience .......................................................................... 24

3. Amount of Time Personally Spent on All Combined Electronic Devices Daily 25

4. Time Spent Daily within the Classroom on Electronic Devices....................... 26

5. Reasons for Discomfort with Using Technology .............................................. 28

x

ABSTRACT

The primary focus of this study was to research teachers’ perspectives on the use of

digital media and digital technology within their classroom. Initial research was

conducted on the growing digital divide between school districts’ lack of use of

digital technologies in their classrooms versus the ever growing need for students to

be reached on a digital level. A survey was sent to teachers at 2 different school sites

within 2 different districts. The survey consisted of 18 questions and focused on both

the teacher’s personal use, as well as professional use of digital media and digital

technologies. The results revealed a direct correlation between a teacher’s age and

their use of digital technologies in and out of the classroom. The evident generational

gap also showed a link between a teacher’s age in relation to their overall comfort

levels utilizing digital media and digital technologies.

1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Digital technologies accommodate the evolution of a myriad of integrated

technologies that can be accessed virtually anywhere, anytime. There is the ability to

remain plugged in at all times, to work through email or by accessing Facebook, or

other social media accounts through a smart phone, iPad, Tablet or a wide variety of

other portable electronic devices. These are far more than just a few discrete

technologies; conceptualized as part of a digital ecosystem that can be adapted, they

become defined in terms of the user’s need and context, amenable to being used in

multiple ways through multiple applications (Lee & Finger, 2010). Technology is

highly revolutionary and the platform that it has provided for the teaching and

learning processes is exceptional. The source of information which technology opens

up has cemented its role undeniably in education from the recent past, to the current

classroom environment and certainly warrants great prospects for the future.

The relationship of digital technologies to learning is almost as old as their

inception, for, barring a few, most digital technologies address the needs of the young

to enhance their learning both informally, by teaching themselves how to use and

apply them, and formally, under guidance of teachers (Lee & Winzenried, 2009).

Although it has to be acknowledged that most of the learning and use of digital

technology happens extraneous to the classroom situation, any competency gained

from the technology use at home or on the move, only lends itself further to the

2

excellence of the students and teachers within the classroom situations. In fact, many

forms of digital technology have not been thrust upon the classroom; on the contrary,

educational and literacy practices of the times have also evolved to assume new

dimensions so as to admit the use of such digital aids within the classroom. Literacy

practices of today are particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing

not in some isolated mode, but within cultural contexts, so as to make the learning

relevant and meaningful. Most of these cultural contexts form the backdrops of

literacy practices involving digital technologies, which have become a part of the

educational landscape. The ideas of digitalization and education have ultimately

become intertwined.

Another aspect to be kept in mind is the notion of participatory learning that

has now taken the place of the dated instructional learning (Davidson & Goldberg,

2009). The latter, usually a toolkit application that is predetermined and even

institutionalized with little, if any, user discretion, choice, or leverage, tends to

support a top-down, administratively driven educational platform. Participatory

learning, on the other hand, has resources and educational tracts that are generally

customizable by the participant. The participatory learning process is often best

served and most effective when the learners, including the teachers, use new

technologies to participate in virtual communities. Within these communities a

student can seek and share ideas, comment and receive feedback on shared projects

and ultimately have their ideas and goals obtained together. Online websites including

official websites of international academic curricular streams, online libraries, and

3

even lesser academically accepted sites such as Wikipedia, AskEric and About.com

are now used far more than the traditional textbooks outside of the classroom

environment. Participatory learning begins with the premise that new technologies

are forever changing how people of all ages learn, socialize, and engage with peers,

family, and even social institutions. For instance, “a New York Times article from

2008 suggested that a future Nobel Prize winner might not be an oncology researcher

at a distinguished university but a member of a blogging community where multiple

authors, some with no official form of expertise, actually discover a cure for a form of

cancer through their collaborative process of combining, probing, and developing

insights online together” (Davidson & Goldberg, 2009, p. 13).

Statement of the Problem

This overall technological flux has led to a shortcoming within the modern

classroom to meet the needs of the students. There is either a lack of interest or lack

of training, potentially both, that have current classroom teachers utilizing archaic and

outdated methods in futile attempts at reaching a student of the technological age.

While this problem is widespread throughout the nation, state, and individual

districts, the fact of the matter is that its roots are firmly placed within each

classroom. The perception of the classroom teacher on digital media plays an integral

part in the needed shift from instructional learning to participatory learning.

Significance of the Problem

This shift in teaching philosophies will enable teachers to better meet the

needs of their technologically advanced students. The longer it takes to address the

4

technological shortfalls within the educational classroom, the longer the students’

academic needs will go without being addressed. The ultimate problem is in the

inability to connect to students utilizing interfaces with which they are comfortable

and knowledgeable.

Research Questions

Each teacher’s individual perception guides their classroom setting as well as

their overall educational philosophies. This research set out to discover how a

teacher’s perception in relation to the use of digital media and digital technologies

directly effects the quantity of its use within their classroom environment. Another

concept that is expected to emerge from the research being conducted is if a teacher’s

generational association plays a direct factor in their use of digital technologies within

the classroom.

Terms and Definitions

API. Academic Performance Index is used to measure the academic

performance and growth of schools on an array of academic measures.

Digital Immigrant. A person that was not raised in the digital era and who has

had to learn digital technology as it has gradually evolved over the past few decades.

Digital Media. For the purpose of this thesis, digital media will be used as a

generic term to encompass all digital software, programs, websites, and instructional

tools that are used either personally or within the classroom.

Digital Native. Refers to an individual that has been raised since birth in the

technology age and utilizes technology as an inherent part of life.

5

Digital Technologies. Refers to all technological hardware that is used within

a person’s personal or professional life (i.e. phone, computer, gaming system).

English Language Learners. Students who are unable to communicate

fluently or learn effectively in English, who often come from non-English speaking

homes and backgrounds, and who typically require specialized or modified

instruction.

GATE. Gifted and Talented Education refers to special practices, procedures,

or theories that are utilized in the education of children who demonstrate outstanding

aptitude or competence in one or more academic domains.

Socioeconomic. A combination of economic and sociological factors that are

used to gauge an individual’s or family’s economic and social position in relation to

others based on income, education, and occupation.

Summary

Chapter I discussed the current trend of the classroom transitioning from a

traditional setting to a more digitally driven environment. It focused on the research

that there is an undeniable need for teachers of this generation to be willing to evolve

their teaching styles to meet the needs of the current digital generation. Chapter II

reviews pertinent research related to the growing trend of digital technology and

digital media being utilized within the classroom to better suit the needs of the current

student. Chapter III looks at the methodology used behind the survey that was

conducted. Chapter IV presents the results of the survey and Chapter V identifies

recommended research for further study.

6

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Background and Definition

While it holds command in every facet of our lives, the field of education has

been particularly impacted by technology in recent years. Digital technology is the

all-encompassing term currently used in the educational field for any form of

technology that enhances teaching or learning. This includes a wide range of

technology from the invention of the calculator, to electronic dictionaries and e-

books, to computers and computer applications, to the newest visions including

online media, social media and numerous other forms that fall into this ever-evolving

suite of digitalization at home and in schools for educational purposes. The early

(though recent in chronological terms due to the nature of the phenomenon)

references to the term were made in diverse educational writings all over the world in

the early 21st century in books and articles such as Digital Natives, Digital

Immigrants (Prensky, 2001), The Effects of Peer Interactions on the Development of

Technological Fluency in Early Childhood (Stazowski & Biers, 2005), Leading a

Digital School (Lee & Gaffney, 2008), Future of Learning Institutions in the Digital

Age (Davidson & Goldberg, 2009), A Review of the Digital Turn in New Literacy

Studies (Mills, 2010) and others in similar publications. It is evident that the

incorporation of digital technology into educational activities has been inevitable.

7

Rationale for Digitization of Education

Davidson and Goldberg (2009) listed ten principles on the basis of which it

was imperative that digitization of teaching and learning were paramount to the future

of learning institutions. “We see these principles as riders, both as challenges and as

the general grounds on which to develop creative learning practices, both

transformative and transforming as new challenges emerge and new technological

possibilities are fashioned” (p. 26). These ten principles included: self-learning,

horizontal structures, from presumed authority to collective credibility, de-centered

pedagogy, networked learning, open-source and open-access education, learning

connectivity and interactivity, lifelong learning, learning institutions as mobilizing

networks, and flexible scalability and simulation. Of the ten principles noted by

Davidson and Goldberg (2009), three were specifically relevant to why the use of

digital media within the classroom benefited the teacher, the student, and aided in the

overall success of the program.

Self-Learning

Self-learning has transformed into an art form allowing skills to be developed

through technology from early childhood through all phases of life to include

adulthood. Through the advancements in technology and the digitized classroom,

students were able to seamlessly jump from one concept to another or to reference the

meaning of a word or concept without even leaving the application that they were

already using. Often this concept of relational reading bridged the learner into new

thoughts or pathways across a large spectrum of information which benefited them by

8

providing a well-rounded and diverse education. “It is not for nothing that the

Internet is called the “Web”, sometimes resembling a maze but more often than not

serving as a productive if complex and challenging switchboard” (Davidson &

Goldberg, 2009, p. 27).

Lifelong Learning

Davidson and Goldberg (2009) suggested that from the point of view of

participatory learning that there was no finality to learning. With new technological

developments across nearly every field, lifelong learning became a condition of

contemporary life. Lifelong learning was witnessed as institutions of higher learning

continued to see the average age of their students increase. This increase was fueled

by a large number of 40 and 50-year-olds returning to school to increase their chances

of employment or promotion. Due to the balancing of working lives, children, and

other responsibilities, the need for networked, virtual learning communities was

higher than ever before. Lifelong learning could also be represented as lifelong

contribution, where institutions accepted the ideas of knowledge production and

expansion through technological developments.

Learning Institutions as Mobilizing Networks

Collaborative, networked learning altered how to approach learning institutions

and amended how they conceived these institutions in general. Throughout history,

learning institutions had been associated with terms likes rules, regulations, and

norms which governed overall interactivity and even the construction of learning.

Newer, digitized classrooms and environments allowed for a form of open-

9

mindedness and free-thinking. These “networks enable a mobilizing that stresses

flexibility, interactivity, and outcome” (Davidson & Goldberg, 2009, p. 34) so that

students were not only encouraged about their learning environment but they were

also personally invested in their futures.

Manifestations of Digitization in the Context of Classrooms

Information in social contexts, both inside and outside of schools, has become

increasingly digitalized. The emergence of hybrid digital forms, such as Wiki, blogs,

databases, and online news, calls for new understandings of genre and stylistic

features. New technical proficiencies with computers and other communication

devices must be constantly learned for the rapid production, processing, and

transmission of electronic texts. Textual practices frequently involve multimodal

texts—that is, when words are used in combination with visual, audio, spatial, and

gestural modes. This was particularly significant in light of teaching elementary and

primary school levels where empirical evidence showed that learning from digital

texts resulted in more effective teaching and far better learning experience than using

any single mode of instruction. For example, in the game Quest Atlantis, students had

to perform educational activities, communicate with other users and mentors, and

build virtual personalities in the virtual world of Atlantis. The project used a socially

responsive design, which involved building socio-technical structures that aimed to

guide learning across academic disciplines of knowledge in digital environments

(Barab, Thomas, Dodge, Carteaux, & Tuzun, 2005).

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Digital academic programs such as Quest Atlantis do not intend to replace the

traditional 3Rs of reading, writing, or arithmetic. They were instead designed to

enhance the core learning of students while making education relevant to their

lifestyles outside of the classroom. Empirical research acknowledges that participants

who engaged with written words during their textual engagements would frequently

draw on other modes and conventions to enhance their learning. The learning from

newer, modern modes usually occurred in conjunction with traditional reading and

writing. The traditional non-digital practices played a significant role in conveying

the meaning of the multimodal and digital texts of the modern classroom.

Reducing the English curriculum to a narrow repertoire of conventional

genres and writing skills discounts the reality of literacy practices in society today.

Digital literacy programs, digital media and digital technologies can be used in a

variety of ways to augment conventional reading and writing. Lemke (1998) argued

that meanings in multimedia were not just words plus images, rather, word meanings

were modified in the context of image-meanings, and vice versa, opening up a wider

range of meaning potential. What was noteworthy was that the power of multimedia

in learning had been recognized and respected widely enough that linguists and

academics continued to develop new vocabulary, syntaxes and grammars for

describing the confluence of words, images, sounds, gestures, and spatial elements

from multimedia to accommodate it duly into the learning process.

Tradition has demonstrated how innovative and productive forms of learning

can occur with digital media in peer driven networks that are oriented toward social

11

communication and recreation. This explains how the middle school and above age

group engaged in “friendship-driven” practices like Facebook, Instagram, and

Snapchat to maintain and extend their social networks with those they deemed

important in their lives. Similarly, youth were also engaging in “interest-driven”

networks where they connect with peers and adults, often beyond their local

community, who have specialized interests, from online gaming to music and art (Ito

et al., 2008, p. 1).

Whether in the context of providing online gaming tips to newcomers in

virtual worlds, such as World of Warcraft, or collaboratively working on writing or

various projects, there is a decided shift from traditional authority to an epistemology

of shared knowledge and expertise. Within online social sites, institutional

authorities, such as parents and teachers, do not establish writing standards and

protocols, nor are they positioned as instructional experts. Rather, norms and criteria

for participation are located in peer and interest-based communities to gain new forms

of social status and recognition (Ito et al., 2008).

Research in the area of modern literacy practices has successfully established

a relationship between academic efficacy and students’ engagement in digital literacy

practices. Significant learning and motivational gains for students have been

documented when new digital media were integrated into the academic literacy

curricula. Educational initiatives reduced the disconnections between students’

experiences, identities, values, and patterns of engagement with new media across

social spaces (Bulfin & North, 2007). For example, there were reports of schools

12

adapting literacy curricula to successfully make stronger connections with the local

and popular literacies of youth in recreational contexts. Others have researched ways

in which threaded discussion groups were used with positive results for writing in the

literacy classroom (Grisham & Wolsey, 2006).

Development of critical thinking and questioning among students was not a

skill to be undermined and this strategy could be taught by challenging implicit and

explicit social messages of the new media rather than trying to learn the skill in

isolation. For example, Beach and Myers (2001) examined the use of new media, and

in particular, the juxtaposition of images, text, and audio, to teach students how to

critique authors’ assumptions about the world. This research positioned the out-of-

school literacy of youth as an important focus of attention, demonstrating how youth

constructed their identities within the larger context of a virtual media world.

Applying critical media research to early childhood educational contexts, Crafton,

Brennan, and Silvers (2007) described how students in a first grade class engaged in

the critical reading of texts and constructed digital texts using computers to voice

concerns about issues in the local community. The technologies and texts in the

classroom were initially used by the teacher to reproduce existing pedagogies.

Through engagement in a supportive professional community, the teacher made

instructional decisions that drew on new technologies and media for sophisticated

forms of collaboration, social inquiry, problem solving, and critical literacy.

13

Student Readiness to Accept Digital Technology in Learning

Whether students are ready to take on the novelty and challenge of digitized

learning is a rhetorical question. Students have changed radically over the years and

the use of technology in teaching is in fact, catering to their unique needs of today.

Prensky (2001) asserted that today’s students were no longer the people the

educational system was designed to teach even two decades ago. Today’s students

had not just changed incrementally from those of the past, nor did they simply change

their slang, clothes, body adornments, or styles, as past generations had. A really big

discontinuity had taken place, what one might call a “singularity” – an event which

changes things so fundamentally that there is absolutely no going back. This so-called

“singularity” was the arrival and rapid dissemination of digital technology in the last

decades of the 20th century.

Today’s students, Kindergarten through college, represent the first generations

to grow up with this new technological advanced era (Prensky, 2001). They have

spent their entire lives surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music

players, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools specific to the digital age. It was

now clear that as a result of this transcended environment and the sheer volume of

students’ digital interaction with it, today’s students think and process information

fundamentally differently from their predecessors. These differences went further and

deeper than most educators suspected or realized. “Different kinds of experiences

lead to different brain structures,” says Dr. Bruce D. Berry of Baylor College of

Medicine (Prensky, 2001 p. 1). While brain structures may or may not have actually

14

changed, it can be said with certainty that their thinking patterns have changed.

Prensky claimed that this marked the entry of the Digital Natives, the original people

products of the digital age. These Digital Natives were characterized by virtue of their

receiving information quickly, being able to parallel process and multi-task, naturally

preferring graphics before their text, and thriving on instant gratification as well as

frequent rewards.

Myths about the Drawbacks of Digital Technology in Education

Digital technology is an inevitable factor in the advancement of the educational

field and is currently intertwined so thoroughly that the fully digital classroom is no

longer a concept of the future but a concept for the current generation of students.

Districts, schools, and teachers alike need to shift their traditional beliefs of pedagogy

and adapt to the new media focused society to ensure they are still reaching their

students at a level that harbors positive teaching environments. While digital

technologies and digital media continue to find their place within the classroom there

are often still doubts of its place within the classroom. Some common myths about

the potential drawbacks to digital technology in education are identified.

It is expensive and not worthwhile to incorporate digitization of education

In this era of technological abundance and availability, digitization was hardly

scarce or expensive, but more affordable than ever. Besides enhancing teaching

effectiveness, the use of technology in organizing and processing everyday routine

activities of educators as in attendance taking to lesson planning to marking and

15

reporting of grades was of immeasurable significance to both the teacher and the

student. The reality was that it was now time to think about how cheap it was to waste

the abundance of the technologies currently available (O’Brien & Scharber, 2010).

It is undesirable to expose young people to the seedy aspects of technology

and especially the media sphere

The generation of teachers, administrators, and school board members who have

resisted implementing one-to-one laptop programs, making the Internet available

throughout a school or district, or permitting students to connect to and work within

social networking sites did it out of their perceived fears about exposing young

people to the more potentially negative aspects of the media sphere. However, it was

imperative they realized that the exposure was happening already in spite of their

restrictions. Teachers, administrators, and school board members should be more

proactive in educating students in critical thinking, teaching them about abuse of the

technology and how to enhance its use in newer, better ways, considering it is here to

stay (O’Brien & Scharber, 2010).

The border between education and entertainment, recreation and learning is

almost non-existent and takes away from the rigor and seriousness of

educational practices

The time to raise questions about the effectiveness of digital technology and new

methodologies of teaching through multimedia, games, and the like, is long gone. It is

16

no longer ‘sugar coating education’ that should worry educators, but on the contrary,

‘honing’ it to achieve maximum results through digitization that educators should be

excited about. It is time for all schools to join in the Web- 2.0-Literacy-2.0-

Education- 2.0 revolution (O’Brien & Scharber, 2010). New tech-literacy exams that

are fast becoming part of the national testing protocol will bring student competencies

in technology as well as in other academic areas to the forefront. All teachers, digital

immigrants and digital natives alike, will be expected to tackle and embrace the

general understanding of technology coupled with a capability to use, manage, and

assess the technologies that are most relevant in one’s life. It is much easier to teach

old dogs new tricks than it was in the past, and the time has come to move ahead, not

regress in the interest of education and past practices (O’Brien & Scharber, 2010).

Summary

All students have something in their lives that they find engaging, something

they are good at, something with a creative component to it that engages them, but it

is not always this case in school. They have engaging things to do except in school

and that leaves them enraged by the whole idea of school. Through digitization of

education, by imparting an education to students in a language they speak, this

unfortunate paradigm has got to change, so the enraged-by-school is soon

transformed into a happy state of engaged-by-school (Prensky, 2001). Chapter III

looks at the methodology used behind the survey that was conducted.

17

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Site Selection

For the purpose of this survey two school sites of differing API and socio-

economic backgrounds were selected. Sites were selected from two different

neighboring districts within the Central Valley to add another degree of the

anonymity between them. According to the 2011-12 Accountability Progress Report

(APR) released through the California Department of Education, Analysis,

Measurement, and Accountability Reporting Division the first school site, Site A,

achieved a 2011 API of 866 (California Department of Education, June 14, 2012).

Data retrieved from school-ratings.com on June 14, 2012 revealed that the student

population consisted of 48% White, 41% Hispanic and 11% other, with 57% of the

school eligible for free or reduced lunch. School-ratings.com also showed that only

10% of the enrolled students were classified as English Language Learners with 13%

identified as GATE students.

Statistics from the same website, gathered on the same day, revealed that the

second school site, Site B, yielded a 772 API in 2011. School-ratings.com detailed

this site as having a population of 86% Hispanic, 8% White and 6% other with 96%

of the school population being eligible for free or reduced lunch. Differing from Site

A, this site educated students that were classified as 59% English Language Learners

with only 1% of the student body involved in GATE programs.

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Methods

A digital survey was utilized for the collection of data to obtain the necessary

research for this thesis. In selecting the delivery method for this survey numerous

factors were first considered. The means by which the most surveys would be

completed and returned yielded the highest priority, however, other considerations

were taken into account like the processing and analysis of different survey types as

well as the cost and time implications to conduct each option. In the end, a digital

survey sent through email to every teacher within selected school sites offered the

best opportunity, not only to have direct access to the teachers themselves but to

potentially receive the greatest number of surveys completed and returned. The

University Institutional Review Board approved this protocol #1112-149 on April 25,

2012.

SurveyMonkey.com was chosen as a viable option to be able to create,

deliver, and analyze surveys upon completion. The initial survey of nearly thirty

questions was edited and revised to a more focused eighteen questions which also

increased the probability of a teacher’s willingness to take the survey by reducing the

time required to complete the survey. Upon receiving written approval from the

individual school sites and districts, each teacher’s individual work email was

obtained in order to send a unique link to each teacher through SurveyMonkey.com.

This afforded each teacher the privacy that ensured their answers would in no way be

linked back to them individually. As incentive for completing the survey, each

19

teacher was offered a $5 Starbucks gift card that would be given to them from their

school site’s designated third-party supporter. To select the uninterested third party,

the principal of each site asked for a volunteer to aid in the research and generously

passed along the twenty $5 Starbucks gift cards to their chosen volunteer. The

volunteers were instructed to hand out the gift cards to any teacher who approached

them stating they had completed the survey. No form of tracking or proof was

required as each teacher self-reported their completion of the survey.

A survey request was sent to 37 teachers, the total from two distinct school

sites within two distinct districts. Of the 37 surveys initially sent out, 24 were

completed. This generated a 67% completion rate and offered an ample quantity of

research to draw some clear themes in regards to the use of digital media within

classrooms. The survey questions can be found in Appendix A.

Chapter III introduced the demographics of the sample and outlined the

procedure. Chapter IV presents the results of the survey.

20

CHAPTER IV

RESULTS

Presentation

An online survey tool known as Survey Monkey was utilized for the

collection of data pertaining to the perceptions of the classroom teacher on the effects

of digital media on academic success. Survey Monkey was chosen because it is user

friendly, flexible and customizable. Furthermore, this format was available wherever

an Internet connection was available enabling participants to complete the survey

from their classroom or the comfort of their homes. Due to these factors, coupled with

the fact that data results are easily accessible and presented in an easy to utilize

format, Survey Monkey was the optimal choice for conducting this survey.

Demographics

Out of the 24 total respondents of the survey, 91.7% were female. As this

survey was only sent to teachers from grades Kindergarten through 6th an

overwhelming amount of female respondents was expected. The age range of those

who responded was a diverse spread of teachers from 24 years old to 6 teachers being

54 or older. The highest group of respondents were 30 – 35 years old making up

29.2% of those who responded with those who are 54 or older coming in a close

second with 25.0%.

The ethnicity of respondents did not reflect diversity with 100% stating they

were White and only 12.5% of those indicating they were of Hispanic or Latino

21

descent. The participating school sites were selected due to their diverse student

populations and wide variety of both economic and cultural differences which lead to

the erroneous assumption that there would also be a degree of diversity within the

teachers.

A relatively even number of teachers from each grade level responded. While

there was only a single 5th grade teacher who responded, and a high of five teachers

from 2nd grade, every other grade had two to three respondents per grade with 96% of

those surveyed responding to this question. The level of education obtained and the

level of experience was also noteworthy amongst those surveyed. The former

showed that 58.3% had at least some graduate work with a notable 37.5% having

achieved a graduate degree or higher (Figure 1). The latter showed that 70.8% of the

teachers surveyed had seven plus years of experience with the most experience falling

between 16 to 20 years of teaching (Figure 2).

Figure 1. Highest Level of Education Achieved

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Bachelor's

Degree

BA + Teaching

Credential

Some Graduate Graduate

Degree

Some Doctoral Doctorate

Degree

22

Figure 2. Years of Teaching Experience

Personal Technology Use

The next 3 questions within the survey focused specifically on each

respondent’s personal use of electronic devices. The first listed 14 different

electronics and those being surveyed were asked which items they personally owned.

Each of the 24 respondents owned both a television and a DVD player, making them

the highest owned electronic devices of the items listed. Of the 24 surveyed, all 24

noted owning cell phones with 50% of them owning iPhones. The least owned items

listed were a tablet, only 12.5% or 3 respondents owned a tablet, and an iPad, which

only 20.8% or 5 respondents claimed owning.

Following the list of general electronics owned, each teacher was given a list

of popular gaming units and asked to identify each system that they owned and

personally used. Of the systems listed, the Nintendo Wii was the highest owned

system with 8 respondents, 33%, and the Nintendo DS was the lowest with 0

respondents owning the device. There were 14 respondents who skipped this

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

0 - 3

4 - 6

7 - 9

10 - 15

16 - 20

20 - 25

26+

23

question implying that a full 58% do not own personal gaming systems. The final

question pertaining to personal use of technology was referencing the range of hours

that each respondent spent utilizing the technology on a daily basis. The highest

average duration of use was 3 - 5 hours daily with 41.7% of respondents making this

selection and the least selected option, with only 2 respondents, was those utilizing

technology for 5 or more hours a day (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Amount of Time Personally Spent on All Combined Electronic Devices

Daily

Following personal technology use, those surveyed were asked about their

usage of social media. While 5 respondents noted using no social media at all, and 1

additional respondent skipped the question, the majority of those surveyed used at

least one type of social media. Of those who responded, 73.9% noted utilizing

Facebook and the second highest social media outlet utilized was Google+, receiving

7 responses. Each respondent was asked to select an allotted amount of time that they

spent on social media daily and 75% of those surveyed noted spending 0 - 1 hour

each day on social media. However, due to there being no option for not applicable,

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0 - 1 hour 1 - 3 hours 3 - 5 hours 5+ hours

24

it can be assumed that the 6 who selected none or skipped the previous question are

included within this 0 - 1 hour block. The other 6 respondents, 25%, all selected 1- 3

hours with zero respondents admitting to 3- 5 hours or 5 or more of use.

Classroom Technology Use

Following the personal use questions, teachers were presented with 4

questions regarding the use of electronics and digital media in their classrooms. The

first question focused on which devices they utilized within their classrooms. The

highest utilized equipment was desktop computers and projectors (i.e. InFocus) with

20 of 24 respondents integrating these devices into their teaching. Over half, 58.3%,

of respondents utilized Interwrite pads within their classrooms and 54.1% used some

type of document imager. The least utilized devices were iPads, 8.3%, Tablets, 4.2%

and zero teachers with access to Smartboards. When asked to list the amount of time

that all devices combined were utilized on a daily basis, 50% of the respondents

selected 1- 3 hours. Another 41.7% mentioned utilizing technology 3- 5 hours daily

while 1 teacher selected 0 -1 hours and 1 teacher mentioned 5+ hours (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Time Spent Daily within the Classroom on Electronic Devices

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0 - 1 hour 1 - 3 hours 3 - 5 hours 5 + hours

25

The next question focused on specific web sites, listing 6 educational

websites, which the teachers utilized for either whole group or individual instruction

within their classroom. Two respondents elected to skip this question so all

percentages given are based on the 22 who answered this question in lieu of the 24

that took the survey. Out of those who responded, 66.7% utilized United Streaming

within their classrooms. The next 2 highest utilized sites were Starfall and

Accelerated Reader both being utilized 45.5% by surveyed teachers. In addition to

being asked which specific websites teachers used, they were also questioned about

their utilization of publisher created digital media (i.e. CDs or PowerPoint

presentations included with curriculum). When asked how often these additional

resources were utilized within their classrooms 33.3% of respondents mentioned on a

weekly basis. An additional 20.8% used these provided resources on a daily basis

and 16.7% utilized them at least once during the month. Finally, a full 29.2%, or 7

respondents, mentioned never using the pre-generated, publisher produced digital

media as a supplement or additional resource to their lesson plans.

Comfort Levels

To finish off the survey of 18 questions, the final 2 focused on each teacher’s

comfort level with utilizing digital media and electronic resources within their

classroom. The first question asked each teacher to rate their overall comfort level

utilizing technology within their classroom. All 24 participants answered this

question with the greatest number, 45.8%, stating that they felt comfortable utilizing a

varying degree of technologies daily. Another 16.7% mentioned that technology is

26

thoroughly embedded within every lesson they teach while 2 respondents, or 8.3% of

those surveyed, noted that they were completely uncomfortable using technology in

the classroom. The remaining 28.9% were virtually spilt between limited use and

those who utilized it within the week but were still less than confident.

The final survey question focused on the reasons behind each teacher’s

discomfort with utilizing technology as a teaching tool within their classroom. Of

those surveyed, 6 elected to skip this question and of the 18 respondents, over half,

55.6%, disclosed that lack of training was the number one reason for their discomfort.

Closely behind lack of support were 44.4% of teachers choosing a lack of support

materials for use with technology. Additionally, lack of technical support and lack of

professional development each gained 33.3% while a single respondent, 5.6%,

selected that they were simply not interested in the use of technology.

Figure 5. Reasons for Discomfort with Using Technology

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

No interest in technology use

Lack of support materials

Lack of professional development

Lack of technical support

Lack of training

27

Summary

Chapter IV presented the findings of the survey and explained the results

pertaining to the use of digital technologies and digital media used within the K-6

classroom at two differing school sites. The analysis presented a direct correlation

between a teacher’s use of technology in their classroom in relation to their personal

comfort level with technology. The data also revealed that a teacher’s personal use of

technology also has a direct link to the quantity of technology they elected to utilize

within the given classroom. Chapter V presents the summary, conclusions, and

recommendations for further study.

28

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary

The overriding purpose of this study was to determine the relative use of

digital media and digital technologies within the elementary classroom. A review of

literature was conducted and concentrated on the effects of digitization within the

classroom as well as looking at the needs of the current students versus students from

a traditional classroom setting. The research, conducted through the use of an online

survey, focused specifically on the perspectives of the classroom teacher in relation to

their academic use of varying digital technologies and digital media outlets.

Conclusions

Based on the research conducted it is evident that not enough digital media or

digital technology is being used in the classroom. The review of literature established

that children thrive on and learn better within an atmosphere that incorporates their

everyday digital environment into the spectrum of teaching. Certain academic strides

have been made to incorporate additional digital options within the classroom but the

digital age is greatly outpacing its academic counterpart.

The teachers surveyed showed a willingness to utilize a higher degree of

technology within their classrooms but voiced concerns over the lack of proper

training as well as a perceived lack of technical support. Another apparent correlation

that presented itself was on the generational divide amongst the teachers that showed

29

a heightened willingness were those born as Digital Natives vs. a lesser degree of

desire to utilize technology in the classroom from those who would be classified as

Digital Immigrants. While there are always exceptions to the rule, the research

supports that younger generations who had has some form of digital technology

available to them for the majority of their lives have adapted better to the digital

insurgence within the classroom.

Recommendations for Future Research

The growth of digital media and digital technologies has, in essence, caught

the educational field off-guard. It has proven to be an ever-changing environment

that will continue to evolve beyond any expectations that can be set on it. To ensure

that the academic achievements of our newest generations are continually afforded

the best learning environments possible, it is imperative that the educational realm

continue to study, analyze, and predict digital changes that will directly affect

learning within the classroom.

Further research could be conducted to look at the digital shifts that have

already taken place within the studied districts as well as within similar districts.

Research needs to be conducted that focuses more specifically on the higher end

establishments that filter curriculum and standards down to the classroom. The

research presented looked at the classroom environment but further research could

focus on what is being done at the district, state, and National levels to ensure that

this digital divide does not continue to grow but instead begins to lessen as teachers

of tomorrow are better equipped to meet the needs of the students of tomorrow.

30

Additional research could also be constructed on the impact of current transitions

taking place such as the replacement of high-stakes testing with the newer common

core concepts that look to test utilizing a degree of multiple intelligences rather than

singular answer testing.

Finally, to ensure students are receiving the most relevant instruction possible,

it is the duty of the districts, the state and the Nation to monitor and continuously

strive to improve the level of instruction that students receive. Technology has the

potential to help create successful learners if utilized in a manner that reinforces the

core educational standards that have been taught for decades. It is not the fact that we

are teaching our student’s new material, but instead must be willing to teach it in new

ways that are relevant to digital native learners.

REFERENCES

32

REFERENCES

Barab, S., Thomas, M., Dodge, T., Carteaux, R., & Tuzun, H. (2005). Making

learning fun: Quest Atlantis, a game without guns. Educational Technology

Research and Development, 53(1), 86-107.

Beach, R., & Myers, J. (2001). Inquiry-based English instruction: Engaging students

in life and literature. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Bulfin, S., & North, S. (2007). Negotiating digital literacy practices across school and

home: Case studies of young people in Australia. Language and Education,

21(3), 247-263.

California Department of Education Analysis, Measurement, & Accountability

Reporting Division. (2012). 2011-12 Accountability Progress Reporting

(APR). Retrieved from

http://api.cde.ca.gov/Acnt2012/2011Base_Co.aspx?cYear=&cSelect=50,STA

NISLAUS

California School Ratings. (2012). Retrieved from http://school-

ratings.com/ratingsDetails.php?cds=50710436052435

Crafton, L., Brennan, M., & Silvers, P. (2007). Critical inquiry and multiliteracies in

a first-grade classroom. Language Arts, 84(6), 510-518.

Davidson, C. & Goldberg, T. with Jones, Z. (2009). The Future of Learning

Institutions in a Digital Age. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media

and Learning. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

33

Grisham, D. L. & Wolsey, T.D. (2006). Recentering the middle school classroom as a

vibrant learning community: Students, literacy, and technology intersect.

Journal of Adult and Adolescent Literacy,49(8), 648-660.

Ito, M., Horst, H., Bittanti, M., Boyd, D., Herr-Stephenson, B., Lange, P. G., . . .

Tripp, L. (2008). Kids Informal Learning with Digital Media: An

Ethnographic Investigation of Innovative Knowledge Cultures. McArthur

Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: MIT

Press.

Lee, M. & Finger, G. (2010). Developing a Networked School Community: A Guide

to Realizing the Vision. Melbourne, Australia: ACER Press.

Lee, M. & Gaffney, M. (2008). Leading a Digital School. Melbourne, Australia:

ACER Press.

Lee, M. & Winzenried, A. (2009). The Use of Instructional Technology in Schools.

Melbourne, Australia: ACER Press.

Lemke, J. L. (1998). Multimedia demands of the scientific curriculum. Linguistics

and Education, 10(3), 247-272.

Mills, K. A. (2010). A review of the digital turn in the new literacy studies. Review of

Educational Research Journal, 80(246). An American Educational Research

Association Publication. (available online at:

http://www.rer.sagepub.com/content/80/2/246)

34

O’Brien, D. & Scharber, C. (2010). Teaching old dogs new tricks: The luxury of

digital abundance. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literature, 53(7), 600-

603.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.

Stazowski, K. & Bers, M. (2005). The Effects of Peer Interactions on the

Development of Technological Fluency in an Early Childhood Robotic

Learning Environment. Medford, MA: Tufts University.

APPENDICES

36

APPENDIX A

COVER LETTER TO SURVEY PARTICIPANTS

Dear Participating Teacher,

My name is James Arnold and I am a student in the Masters of Arts in Education with

emphasis in Elementary Education program at California State University, Stanislaus. I am

presently in the process of completing my thesis as a requirement for graduation. I have

chosen to study the topic of the use and perceptions of teachers regarding the use of

educational technology within the classroom. The purpose of my study is to measure the level

of comfort teachers have using educational technology within their own classrooms. If you

choose to participate, you will be asked to complete a short survey.

You are receiving this email because you are a teacher at one of two selected sites in Central

Valley, CA to participate in this study. This study has been approved by the CSU Stanislaus

Institutional Review Board and your participation is voluntary. There are no known risks to

you for your participation in this study and you may withdraw at any time for any reason.

There is no cost to you beyond the time and effort required to complete the survey, which

will take approximately five minutes to complete.

It is possible that you will not benefit directly by participating in the study. However, others,

to include local school districts, may benefit from the information obtained as it will direct

them to specific needs within the professional development of their teachers. The information

collected will be protected from all inappropriate disclosure under the law. All data will be

maintained until May 2014, when it will be destroyed. All collected data will remain

anonymous and no individual information will be reported. Upon completion of the survey,

contact your on-site volunteer to receive a $5 Starbucks gift card for your participation.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact my faculty sponsor, Dr. Susan

Neufeld at (209) 667-6719. If you have any questions regarding your rights and participation

as a research subject, please contact the Campus Compliance Officer by phone at (209) 667-

3794 or email IRBAdmin@csustan.edu.

I would greatly appreciate your participation. By clicking the link below to begin the short

survey, you consent to participating in the study.

Follow this link to the Survey:

Take the Survey or copy and paste this URL http://www.surveymonkey.com/TBD into your

internet browser.

Thank you very much for your time and participation,

James Arnold

37

APPENDIX B

TEACHERS PERSPECTIVE ON DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES SURVEY

Teachers Perspective on Digital Technologies

Survey Monkey – May, 2012

1. What is your gender?

o Male

o Female

2. Which category below incudes your age?

o 23 or under

o 24 – 29

o 30 – 35

o 36 – 41

o 42 – 47

o 48 – 53

o 54+

3. Race?

o American Indian or Alaska Native

o Asian

o Black or African American

o Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

o White

4. Ethnicity?

o Hispanic or Latino

o Not Hispanic or Latino

5. What is the highest level of education you have completed?

o Bachelor’s Degree

o Bachelor’s Degree plus teaching Credential

o Some Graduate

o Graduate Degree

o Some Doctoral

o Doctorate Degree

6. Grade Level Currently Teaching?

38

o Kindergarten

o 1st

o 2nd

o 3rd

o 4th

o 5th

o 6th

7. Years of Teaching Experience?

o 0 – 3

o 4 – 6

o 7 – 9

o 10 – 15

o 16 – 20

o 21 – 25

o 25+

8. Which if the following electronic devices do you own?

o Desktop Computer

o Tablet

o Laptop Computer

o iPad

o Cell Phone (traditional)

o iPhone

o Other Smart Phone

o Home Phone

o iPod

o MP3 Player

o Television

o Blu-Ray Player

o DVD Player

o VHS Player

9. Which of the following gaming systems do you own (only include those that you

yourself physical use)?

o PlayStation

o X-Box

o Wii

39

o Nintendo DS

o PlayStation Potable (PSP)

10. Regarding the above mentioned electronic devices (questions 8 – 9), please select

the one response that best describes the amount of time you personally spend on

ALL combined devices DAILY.

o 0 – 1

o 1 – 3

o 3 – 5

o 5 or more hours

11. Which of the following Social Media sites do you have a personal account on?

o Facebook

o MySpace

o Google+

o LinkedIn

o Dating Site (i.e. – eHarmony, Match.com, etc.)

o None

12. Regarding the above mentioned social media sites (question 11), please select the

one response that best describes the amount of time you personally spend on ALL

combined Social Media sites DAILY.

o 0 – 1

o 1 – 3

o 3 – 5

o 5 or more hours

13. Which of the following electronic devices do you use within your class?

o Desktop Computer

o Tablet

o Laptop Computer

o iPad

o Overhead Projector

o Projector (i.e. – InFocus)

o Elmo

o Other Document Imager Device

o InterWrite Pad

o Smartboard

40

14. Regarding the above mentioned electronic devices (question 13), please select the

one response that best describes the amount of time you personally spend on ALL

combined devices DAILY.

o 0 – 1

o 1 – 3

o 3 – 5

o 5 or more hours

15. Which of the following websites do you utilize during class time to interact with

students either through whole group instruction or through individual student

computer usage?

o Starfall

o United Streaming

o Discovery Kids

o Publisher Site (i.e. McGraw)

o Goo Games

o Accelerated Reader

o Other: Please Specify _______________________________________

16. How often do you utilize publisher created digital media (i.e. – CDs/PowerPoints

that are included with distributed curriculum) as an additional resource to you

planned lessons?

o Daily

o Weekly

o Monthly

o Never

17. On a scale of 1 to 5 rate your comfort level utilizing technology in any means

within your classroom.

o 1 – Completely uncomfortable

o 2 – Will use on a limited basis but still not comfortable with technology in

the classroom

o 3 – Utilize multiple times a week but still not confidant with use

o 4 – Utilize daily and feel comfortable using varied degrees of technology

o 5 – Technology is thoroughly embedded within every lesson I teach and I

look forward to the day that every student has a computer/iPad assigned to

them for class

41

18. If you do not feel absolutely comfortable utilizing the educational technology

tools that your district has provided for you in your classroom, please select from

the following list your reason(s) for discomfort.

o Lack of training

o Lack of technical support

o Lack of continued professional development

o Lack of support materials for use with technology

o Simply not interested in technology use